May 23, 2007
TEMPE, Ariz. - Arizona State junior second baseman Eric Sogard has been named the Pac-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, the conference announced today. Sogard is the first Sun Devil to ever earn the distinction.
Sogard (Phoenix, Ariz.) has developed into a five-tool player, hitting for average (.399), power (10 home runs) as well as developing his running game (16 stolen bases). He has made several highlight reel plays, and teaming with SS Andrew Romine, has helped make the ASU defense one of the best in the nation.
"Eric probably would have been Player of the Year if not for Brett Wallace," said 2007 Pac-10 Coach of the Year Pat Murphy. "He is one of the most well-rounded players I have been around in a long time. This is very gratifying for a kid who is a homegrown talent who was really not recruited by anyone other than ASU. He's an Arizona kid that has grown into a great player like Andre Ethier, Jeff Larish and Chris Duffy did. His play says a lot about the local talent in Arizona and about the ASU baseball program."